Patrolling Coruscant
by Liontalon
Summary: Viper is back from the battle Cona and has to find a easy job to do around base or he will have to stay in med bay which he and medics dont want. Mostly OC's takes place between chaps 10 and 12 fron Echo still Alive. R&R


**Hey guys I know I should be working on "Echo still Alive" or "Where are We?" maybe even "A Jump into Hell" but I don't want to right now and I've had this idea for a few days now after reading ****sachariah****'s story "Far far away", so this One-shot was born featuring my OC Viper for those who don't know him he relatively normal he has a normal hair style with red streaks. Oh this takes place after the battle of Cona chapter 10 in "Echo still Alive" **

Patrolling Coruscant

_(Viper)_

After getting back from Cona I was put into a bacta tank for a day and was thankfully unconscious for the most part, time seems to stand still while you're floating in that cold blue gel like liquid. I was awakened a few minutes before the medics pulled me out, I never thought a few minutes could take so long… when they pulled me out I was shocked at how cold it was.

"Wh-What is thhhh-e heatttt-errr brrrr-okkk-ennn" I asked my teeth chattering, Kix gave a short laugh and shook his head.

"No Viper, you're just cold, don't worry we'll have you warmed up in no time" he said leading me toward the showers to help wash the remaining bacta off.

The shower helped me warm up and rid myself of the horrible gel called bacta. As Kix helped me get a soft med bay uniform on I voiced my hatred of the gel.

"I hate bacta" I spat giving the bacta tanks a cold glare.

"What?" Kix asked giving me a puzzled look.

"I said I hate bacta"

"Why?"

"Because it is so cold and gel like, and not to mention boring!"

"You must be the only clone that hates bacta"

"I don't care" I said as I was lead away from the bacta tanks but before I left I spotted a familiar face in one of the tanks "How's Fives looking?" I asked concerned.

"Well" Kix sighed looking me in the eye "you saved his life, if you didn't stem some of the bleeding he would have bleed out, and he's just plain lucky. It was touch and go a little at first but those ARC's are hard to kill." Kix finished flashing a grin at me then his eyes grew sorrowful and he spoke to himself but I was close enough to hear _"Too bad they're not strong enough to survive an explosion!"_

"What?"

"Huh? Oh you heard me I was just thinking about his brother Echo who was killed a few weeks ago"

"Oh, I didn't know…"

"You couldn't have those two were promoted to ARC a little before you joined us." Kix said and with a tone that said that's the end, then he pushed me into a bunk.

"Ugh how long do I have to stay here?" I asked glaring around the med bay.

"Until I say otherwise" Kix said, and turned to leave.

"But Kix it's so _boring_ here…" I whined _'wow a grown battle-hardened solider whining'_ I thought, Kix turned back around with an eyebrow raised.

"Are you sure the Kaminoans didn't drop you on your head?" he asked but as I opened my mouth to reply he waved me off and pulled a data pad off his belt "if you're that bored read this" and he tossed it over to me and left before I could complain anymore.

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It's been three days since being pulled from the bacta tank and that data pad was all medical stuff, I really felt fine except for a little soreness _'I need to get out of here'_ I thought as I felt like I'd go insane. Then Coric passed by and my arm quickly snaked out and grabbed his elbow. He turned and gave me a puzzled look.

"Is everything ok trooper?" he asked concern in his voice.

"Yes sir, I'm wondering when I can get out of here?" I asked with a pleading look.

"Sorry Viper not my call; you're under Kix's care not mine" and with that said he pulled away and left med bay. I fell back into my bed with a sigh of frustration, letting my eyes close but opened them again feeling as though someone was glaring at me. I looked to find Kix glaring at me, with an annoyed look on his face.

"Heh… hey Kix, how've you been?" I asked nervously.

"You're asking other medics to let you out of med bay" he stated, I just gave him a sheepish grin. "Right well I can see I can't keep you here any longer. _The sooner you're gone the easier my life gets_" the last part was under his breath but I was too happy about the first part to care. "Ask the captain to give you some light jobs around base and I want to see you at 1800 hours every day until I say otherwise; including today"

"Sir Yes sir" I said happily.

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I pressed the button on the side of the door of the Captain's office requesting entrance, a moment later it pinged green and the door opened and I entered removing my helmet and balanced it between my arm and side. Captain Rex sat at his desk looking over something on a data pad, I started to worry when he didn't look up that he accidently hit the button allowing me to enter, but a moment later he looked up and gestured for me to sit.

"What can I help you with Viper?" the Captain asked.

"Sir Kix has just released me from med bay and I can only do light jobs right now, I also have to report to Kix at 1800 hours every day until he says otherwise" I said hoping he would catch my implied question.

"Well Viper, a lot of men are being released from med bay and I'm out of light jobs here around the barracks" the Captain said, I started thinking about what jobs I could do, only one came to mind.

"What about patrolling the upper levels sir?" I asked knowing that I wouldn't be able to patrol the lower levels by myself but maybe I could convince the Captain to let me patrol the upper levels. The Captain didn't look too thrilled by the idea.

"I'm not sure Viper, normally there would be two guys patrolling not one…"

"Sir nothing ever happens on the upper levels, aside from a few stolen speeders. I can handle it"

"Alright you can go, stay close to the barracks and I want you back by 1700 hours, got it?"

"Yes sir" I said and stood up giving the Captain a quick salute I left his office and made my way down to the upper level streets.

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I had only gone a few blocks when I hit a crowd of people; I pushed my way through them and continued on my way. I really didn't know what to look for so I was just walking; I noticed some of the civilians giving me cold looks, I just shrugged them off not caring what they thought of us. All us clones know some people don't like us and think we're no better than droids.

Then a orange male Twi'lek teen ran over and spit on my boot, I just stood there waiting for him to get out of my way, I started clenching my hand that was free of my blaster (Which is set to stun) to try and control my anger, as the orange Twi'lek sneered at me.

"What's wrong _meat-can_ did I insult you?" he laughed as his gaze traveled to my hand.

"Bid, you couldn't have insulted _it_! It has no _feelings_!" one of the Twi'lek's friends called from beside a restaurant. I really wanted to fry them right now but knowing that it would only cause trouble for me.

"Please step aside sir" I said succeeding in keeping my voice calm.

"It speaks!" he gasped "I'm surprised that a piece of cannon fodder can comprehend words"

I was about to say something when a green Twi'lek man walked out of the restaurant and looked around; when his eyes fell on us they narrowed.

"_Bid! Get inside now!"_ he yelled then turned to the others _"and you beat it!"_ 'Bid' slinked inside as his friends took off down the street. I watched them go then quickly realized that the man had come over to me. "I'm sorry for my son's behavior, he's a kid and the war has him stressed; it's hard to believe it even affects the kids. Again I'm sorry"

"No harm done sir" I lied because the man had the decency to apologize for someone else's actions. He nodded and turned away and went back inside, I continued walking through the crowds, noticing a few people staring at me. _'I should expect it very few patrols come through here'_ I thought annoyed.

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I glanced at my chrono, its 1630 _'I should start heading back'_ I thought and was turning back when I heard a soft sob and looked to my right, into an alley, there was what looked to be a teenage human boy sitting against the wall crying into his hands. All clones are extremely curious, though most can ignore their curiosity; not me, soon I found myself making my way over to the boy.

He didn't look up at my approach so I knelt beside him and put my hand on his shoulder, his head jerked up and turned toward me, his eyes are red and his cheeks were wet it's obvious that he had been crying.

"'s ok son" I said trying to calm him "what's wrong?" he hesitated looking at me nervously.

"_My parents hate me! They think I'm nothing but a burden; they'll be better off without me!"_ he whimpered.

"I'm sure that's not true, come on I'll take you home" I said knowing that I'll probably be late but I just can't leave the kid here. I stood and offered the kid my hand to help him up but he just shook his head.

"No" he said "I'm not going back" sighing I knelt back down.

"Son, I'll cut you a deal: you tell me where you live and let me take you there and…"

"And what?"

"…and… what do you want?"

The boy thought a minute before looking up at his visor.

"I want to see your face" that surprised me, but it was a simple request.

"Ok, I'll show you my face after we get you home. Deal?" I asked holding out my hand.

"Deal" he said and shook my hand and as he did I stood pulling him up with me.

The boy told me his address and his name Dan Ferr.

"Well Mister Ferr we should catch a ride" I said pointing to the train station.

"Yeah, please don't call me Mister Ferr, just Dan" Dan said I nodded. "Hey you never told me your name" I froze mid stride this was the first civvie who thought of them as somewhat normal people.

"What makes you think a clone like me has a name?" I asked glancing down at him and continued walking toward the station.

"Well… you're nice, not what HoloNet makes you guys out to be anyway. Besides they can't call you by numbers" Dan didn't know how close to home he had hit, I grew stiff at that; and he noticed. "They don't call you by numbers right?"

"The Kaminoans do, they insist we nothing more than expendable units" I spat with disgust "But my brothers call me Viper"

"How can Kaminoans say that someone who is living and breathing is expendable Viper?"

"I don't know and I don't want to talk about Kamino, besides we're here" I said nodding to the terminal where a man was checking tickets into a computer. We waited I line getting quite a few odd looks but ignored them. The man blinked in surprise at us then shook his head and positioned his hands over the keys and looked to me waiting for my designation.

"CT-21-2209" I said and watched him type it into the console, before turning back to me with his brow raised.

"Says here you're AWOL" he said I saw him going for his blaster, now I was confused, then I looked at my chrono 1705.

"Really Captain 5 minutes late" I say to myself rolling my eyes, before raising my comm. to call the captain.

"Sir-" I start but was cut off.

_::Viper! Where are you? I said 1700 hours; you have 55 minutes to get back here before you have to report to Kix! Do you have any idea what an angry medic is like!:: _

"Sir, I'll be back way before I have to report to Kix, let me finish up what I'm doing and I'll be back promise"

::You better:: and with that Rex ended the call.

"I think my status changed" I said looking at the guy. Who with a puzzled look turned back to the computer.

"You're right, and this is?" he asked pointing to Dan how was looking at me with a puzzled look.

"A child I'm escorting back home"

"Carry on" he waved me forward I nodded to him and pushed Dan along toward our train.

"That number you gave him that was your…" he started.

"Yeah, that was what the Kaminoans called me" I said in a tone that said drop it, and thankfully Dan got the hint.

"Viper, can I ask you a question?"

"You just did"

"You know what mean! I want to know why your armor is blue not red like most of the clones that patrol around here"

"Well, the color of your armor tells what company you belong to; you mostly see the Coruscant Guards their armor is red. I'm from the 501st our armor is blue."

"501st doesn't Jedi General Skywalker lead them?"

"Yeah he's my General" I said and turned Dan toward the open doors of the train, when we boarded a lot of stares fell on us. Dan didn't even seem to notice as we sat down in the only seats we could find of course in the middle.

"Isn't it uncomfortable to sit in all that armor?" Dan asked, ignoring the stares he got.

"No, I guess it was at first but I've been wearing armor most of my life so I really don't notice anymore" I said noticing people's eyes widened even more at the sound of my voice. I started to hear mutters around us.

"_It sounds almost human"_

"_I didn't think they were even able to talk outside of responding to orders"_

"_I thought they could only say what they are programmed to say"_

Dan must have heard it to because his head whipped around to the speakers, anger blazing in his green eyes.

"These guys are nothing like what we are told about them, they have feelings, they can despise others, and they have names! Right, Viper?" Dan snapped turning to look at me, but I stayed silent surprised that Dan had stood up for us clones.

"I hear that you guys have live fire drill when you're only five, is that true?" a young woman asked, concern laced in her voice, Dan looked at me wide eyed.

"That's not true is it Viper?"

"Yeah it's true" I said, outraged arguments broke out, and I then realized they didn't know we age faster than they do "wait!" I called trying to bring order, everyone quickly silenced themselves. "We were put in live fire drills at the technical age of five but our biological age was ten"

"What, that's a five year difference?" an older man snapped "you're not making sense"

"We age differently than you, our growth is accelerated, so every year you age it's two for us" I said not really thinking it was that big a deal, but the civvies sure thought it was.

"_That's terrible"_

"_How can the Jedi be so cruel?" _

I didn't know what to say, _'why are they so angry'_ I thought baffled.

"Viper" Dan spoke, he had been silent for most of the exchange, and everyone grew quiet wanting to hear what was said.

"Yeah, Dan?"

"How old are you?"

"Twenty-three almost twenty-four"

"No I mean your technical age"

"Eleven and a half nearly twelve" I could hear gasps and angry shouts, but toned them out and focused on Dan, who was staring at his feet. "What's wrong Dan?"

"I'm older than you, I'm fourteen you're eleven; and you're fighting a war"

"Dan listen to carefully, we don't mind; I mean we're soldiers it's not like we know how to do anything else"

"Doesn't that bother you knowing that we're here sitting around while you and your brothers are fighting our war?"

"Sometimes but most of the time we don't have the time to dwell on that fact" I glanced up as the train slowed to a stop "Come on we're here" I helped him up and we exited the train and made our way back on to the streets. "Alright, which way?"

"There's my apartment building" he said pointing to a tall building a little ways away from the station.

"Ok, let's go" I said gesturing for him to lead the way, inwardly I was saddened that we were already at the building I've grown to like Dan. We reached the building and entered the turbolift and Dan hit his floor, typing in a password.

"Viper…" he started.

"Yeah kid"

"Thank you" he said but I noticed him chewing on his lip, like he wanted to say more.

"Continue"

"Will you come and visit me?" that shocked me but before I could answer there was a ding and the doors opened. There were two people in the apartment, a woman that looked to be in her late-thirties with long brown hair, and it looked as if she had been crying; and a man a little older then the woman with black and a worried expression on his face. They both looked up at the sound of the turbolift; the woman's eyes fell on Dan swept him up in a hug. The man was looking at me.

"Dan where have you been, we've been worried sick!" the woman -who I guessed to be Mrs. Ferr- cried.

"You were worried?" Dan whispered.  
>"What do you mean 'You were worried?'? Your mother and I have been calling everyone we know looking for you! Why did you run away?" the man asked, taking his eyes off me and looking at his son.<p>

"I thought you guys didn't love me, that's why I ran and I wasn't planning on coming back either, but Viper convinced me to come home." Dan said suddenly his eyes widened and he turned to me "Hey it's time for you to hold up your end of the deal" giving me a friendly jab in the side, I wouldn't have minded if it wasn't my bad side, I could help but gasp in pain and my hand went instinctively to my side. Dan's eyes widened "I- I-" he started but cut him off.

"It's alright, calm down" I said surprising myself at how much it shook.

"I didn't mean to hit you that hard!"

"You didn't hit me hard Dan, you probably couldn't make out a thing my captain was yelling about back at the station?" he shook his head "Well I was released from med bay this morning, after getting shot in the side. It's still sore" I then reached up and popped the seal on my helmet and pulled it off; but before Dan could comprehend that it was off, it was over his head.

"Whoa" He gasped, his parents watched wide eyed.

"Can you see?" I asked.

"Yeah, it's a little weird but yeah."

"Look at the bottom of the screen and blink twice"

"Cool"

"What do you see?"

"Everything behind me. AH!" that got me worried, and the helmet was quickly of his head and on the floor, with Dan covering his ears. At first I was confused then I heard yelling coming from my helmet, glancing at my chrono dread settled in my stomach; 1820. I lifted my comm. on my arm to talk.

"Please repeat that sir and a bit quieter"

_::Viper-::_ the Captain started but was cut off.

_::Excuse me sir, Viper did you listen to a word I said?::_

"Ah… maybe"

_::I said around the base not all over Coruscant!::_

"But, Kix"

_::No buts, I made I clear that you were also to report to me at 1800 hours-::_ that's where I turned my comm. off.

"I'm sorry I got you in trouble Viper" Dan whispered.

"Don't worry Dan, an ARC owes me his life they can't touch me" I said grinning "and to answer your question yeah I'll come visit you, the next time I'll be on Triple Zero is in about two and half months, I'll see you then, I promise" I said picking up my helmet and balanced it between my side and arm.

"Thank you… Viper for bringing our son home" Mr. Ferr said, I nodded to them and left.

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I felt the laser burn through my armor and into my back, I gasped as pain erupted with in my back and grew in to my lungs, suddenly my legs couldn't support me any longer and I fell forward, I found myself unable to breathe and my lungs felt like they were on fire.

"They're coming from all directions!" I think I heard someone whisper, why are they whispering, the Umbarans know they're there, come on their shooting at them. I strain to hear more but I can't hear anything now. My eyelids started getting heavy, _'where's Fives he was there a minute ago?'_ I was about to give in and sleep still not sure at what happened; then it hit me _'I'm dying!'_ but I promised to visit Dan!

"I'm sorry Fives…" I gasped out _'I'm so sorry Dan, I broke my promise. My vod' _that was my last thought before my voice faded as did my vision and my body grew cold…

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_(Dan)_

I was excited Viper said he would be back in two and half months it has been that so he's due back any day now. When I told my friends about him they couldn't believe it and wanted to meet him. I just told them they would have to be lucky and be around when he stops by. Now I stood with a group of my friends.

"Yeah, I didn't expect that when…" I was saying when I saw something.

"Dan what's wrong?" Ti asked, but I ignored him.

"Viper?" I called looking to where I saw the blue striped armor, my friends followed my gaze to where a clone in blue armor had stopped mid stride, and turned toward me that's when I noticed the shoulder plate was different there was a red cross instead of a blue viper.

"Did you call me Viper?" he asked, his voice wasn't cold but surprised.

"Yes, I'm sorry I didn't get a good look at the shoulder plate"

"How do you know that name?"

"Viper is a friend of mine; we met last time he was on Coruscant"

"Was"

"Excuse me?"

"Viper was a friend of yours; he was killed on our last mission" grief welled inside of me and tears threatened to fall. "I'm sorry" with that Viper's brother turned away.

"Wait! You're Kix aren't you?"

"Yeah, how do you…"

"Your voice, Viper said you're a medic, I heard you voice over his comm. it's not as stressed and rough as the Captain's, but not as relaxed as Viper's, like you're worrying about all the men under your care" Kix didn't respond at first, then his hands went up to the base of his helmet, I heard a soft popping sound and the helmet was lifted away and I saw a completely different face, they had the same face but completely different lives.

"You're a good kid, how you got caught up with someone as annoying as Viper I will never know. But Viper went down fighting that's all we can ask for" with that Kix put his helmet back on and walked away. _'I'm sorry Viper, you were a good friend. My brother' _

**The End. I'm sorry for any mistakes I made, it is extremely difficult to write a story with a cat that is either on your lap or on the desk swatting at the keys wanting to help. I hope to update one of my other stories soon, but until then Bye. **


End file.
